By: Charlie Kyte
Total time of Audioblog is 6 minutes 20 seconds.
AVIAN FLU MEETING AT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Bob Meeks of MSBA and I represented public schools at this planning meeting. There were also representatives of the private schools, charter schools and home schools. Representatives from the MN Departments of Public Health and the Department of Homeland Security were present as well.
Health experts are predicting that 'Bird to Bird' transmission of the Avian Flu will ocur on the north american continent in the next 3 weeks to 2 months.
The Minnesota Government planners are working on plans to cover three (3) scenario's of Flu outbreak:
1) 'Bird to Bird' Transmission only
2) Moderate 'Bird to Human' Transmission with moderate illness and only a few deaths
3) Severe 'Bird to Human' Transmission with 30 of the population very sick and up to 2% of those sick actually dying.
The Department of Education (MDE) asked us for advise on how to plan and how to communicate with schools. Bob and I indicated that the department needed to identify about 5 specific actions they wanted schools to take now. Further it was indicated that schools should begin now to emphasize prevention of the spread of disease. The MDE will also collect more information on what it has the authority to direct schools to do in case of any of the scenario's above.
School Leaders should be prepared to answer questions from the public about their districts planning process when the first 'bird to bird' cases are reported in the USA. It is time for us to get to work on this!
LEGISLATIVE BILL INTRODUCTIONS
The MASA Bills to phase in the funding for all day/ every day Kindergarten; to lengthen the school year; and to enhance the school funding formulas by 1% were all introduced this week. Valerie Dosland, the MASA lobbyist, is now seeking Hearings for each of these Bills.
LEGISLATION UNDER DISCUSSION
The Pension Bills come before committee on Wednesday. An attempt will be made to hold the school districts financially harmless in regard to the Minneapolis Pension 'roll in' to TRA.
The House Education Finance Committee will hear Bills to provide school property tax relief. Ideas include changing the capital funding from levy to aid; to increase the equity factors thus increasing the percentage of aid versus levy; and to increase the States committment to provide debt redemption equity.
The Senate Education Policy Committee heard the MDE's Bill today. Most of the Bill was technical in nature and non-controversial. Two sticking points, from our point of view, were a requirement for schools to report all students engaged in threatening/ violent acts even though there was no expulsion from school (Student withdraws voluntarily); and additional regulatory language involving specila edication rules.
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